Values and therapy orientations of psychotherapy trainees: a twelve-year update

Psychotherapy orientations, self-declared fortes in conducting therapy, and interpersonal values were studied among psychiatry residents and psychology interns in the late 1960s and early 1980s. A distinct pattern of psychotherapy orientations and fortes emerged which transcended professional backgrounds and proved stable across generations, despite some interactions between training and time. Subjects' professed areas of expertise were closely aligned with their beliefs about what methods are most effective in psychotherapy, and both these variables were significantly associated with their value profiles. The correlation matrix suggested a three-factor model of related psychotherapy and value orientations surrounding the three predominant modalities: insight, corrective emotional experiences, and learning. It was proposed that the data support the importance of value dimensions in contributing to psychotherapists' adoption of specific treatment strategies and their developing expertise in corresponding techniques.